Automatic register-gear for printing-machines.



No. 783,777. 'PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905, T. oossmla.

AUTOMATIC REGISTER GEAR POE PRINTING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. s, 1904.

Patented February 28, 1905.

THOMAS COSSAR, OF GOVAN, SCOTLAND.

"AUTOMATIC REGIISTER GEAR FOR PRINTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,777, dated February28, 1905.

Application filed March 3, 1904. Serial No. 196,345.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, THOMAS OossAR, a subject of the King of the UnitedKingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Gown,

5 county of Lanark, Scotland, have invented a certain new and usefulAutomatic Register- Gear for Printing-Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates -to web-printing mar chines, especially of theflat-bed oscillating- I with that on the other side or one or more websin register with each other. For that purpose the web of paper inpassing through the printing-machine to be printed on one side has anorifice'punched or perforated in its margin in any wellknown way betweeneach of the printings, and in printing the second side the perforationsduring the travel of the web come in succession under a main tubethrough which air under pressure is forced.

The web or its margin passes over a rotatlng drum provlded'with smallair-ports and plungers, and according as the rate of feed is above orbelow the normal, caused by the paper havlng stretched or shrunk sincethe first printing or other reason, the compressed air from the maintube escaping through each orifice in the web as it travels over thedrum enters intoone of the air-ports in front or at rear of a centralpoint to actuate a correspondingly-located plunger, which in therotation of the drum brings into action either of two pawls to feedforward or backward a wheel acting'through a shaft and a train of wheelsonregister-gear arranged to accelerate or re- 4 tard the inovement ofthe feed-rollers of the printing-machine. I

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of the improved automatic register-gear,and Fig. 2 is a plan of part of the same.

As shown by the drawings, the apparatus comprises a rotating drum A,whose shaft is journaled in the framing B of the printing- 5 machine andhas on its end a crank B, connected by a pitman B with a plunger,thereby reciprocat d with a stationary cylinder 0 to compress airtherein. Fromthe cylinder end a pipe connection leads to a telescopic oradjustable air-tube D, placed over the drum A,

and having in its lower end an air-outlet directly under which theperforations in the paper web Vt pass as said web in its travel throughtheprinting-machine passes over the drum, in contact with which, it ismaintained by rollers E, carried by adjustable levers E on each side.

In the drum A are a series of small air tubes, ports, or passages a ct,having open ends in the periphery of the drum exactly under or in linewith the air-outlet of the tube D, these airports being preferably of anelongated shape across the drum to provide against side- Wise movementof the web, a number of the open ends of these ports a being at rear ofa central imperforate point in the drums periphery. Each of the ports aterminates in a cylinder a and each of the ports a connects in likemanner to a cylinder a, these cylinders a a" being arranged in segmentallines on opposite sides of the axis of the drum A and being each fittedwith a plunger [f or a, which is normally within the cylinder, but isadapted to be protruded on admission of compressed air to the cylinderand to be returned by the action of a camplate N, fixed to the framingB.

Located in proximity to the drum A and to one side of it is aratchet-wheel F, fast on a shaft F, journaled in the framing B, and onthe said shaft as a center is loosely fitted to swing a lever Gr,oscillated by a pitman G from the crank B, the said lever G havingpivoted near its outer end two pawls g and g, adapted to act in oppositedirections on the teeth of the ratchetF, but normally kept out ofengagement therewith by means of a segmental hoop F, which has impartedto it a sidewise swing movementby the spring f on a 1ocl sl1aftF uponwhich said hoop is mounted, to cover or uncover the ratchet at propertimes, as hereinafter explained. Engaging the side hoop F is a lever H,fixed on a shaft H, journaled in the framing and having secured on itsend a bell-crank H H one arm, H of which is held against a stop H bymeans of a spring H,

.while the other arm, H", interposed in the ath of the lungers a a whenthese are ro- P P p truded from their cylinders. When any one of theplungers a is protruded, it strikes the arm H during the forward strokeof the lever (Jr and tilting the lever H raises its free end and drivesit forward through part of a revolution, while at the end of the strokea campiece G on the lever Gr engages with a stoppin 7" on the hoop F andrestores it to its position over the ratchet-teeth, while the lever Hdrops to retain the said hoop in said position.

The pawls g g as they reach the end of their travel in either directionare lifted clear of the hoop F by means of lever-arms 1 which come intocontact in the cam projections g g" at the respective ends of the travelof the pawls, while the outside pawl at the end of each stroke passesover the end of the hoop F to allow the latter to return and shield theratchet-teeth F. Should. none of the plungers co protrude, no action ofthe lever H occurs during the forward stroke of the lever Gr and nomovement of the ratchet-wheel takes place; but should one of theplungers a protrude from its cylinder it is carried in the rotation ofthe drum A into contact with the arm H"dur ing the backward stroke ofthe lever Gr, the ratchet-teeth are uncovered, and the rear pawl gengages them to drive the ratchet-wheel in the rearward direction, whileat the end of the stroke the cam-piece G engages a stoppin f on the hoopf to restore the latter to its normal position, shielding theratchetteethyin which position the pawls g are rendered inoperative.

The cylinders a a and their plungers a a are so placed on the drum thatwhile the plungers of each set farthest from the center imperforateportion of the drums periphery act on the lever H during the early partof the forward or backward stroke of the lever Gr the plungers adjoiningact at a later period of the stroke, and the last of the plungers-thosenext to the imperforate partact toward the end of the stroke, so that agreater or less forward movement is imparted to the ratchetwheel F andits shaft F, according as the web is more or less out of its properposition.

The shaft F has on its end a bevel-wheel J, meshing with a bevel-wheel Jon the end of a shaft K, at whose other end isa worm gearing into aworm-wheel L, forming part of the wheel-train of register-gearing whichserves to accelerate or retard the feed-rollers M of theprinting-machine and which accelerating or retarding gear may beconstructed and arranged to operate in a well-known manner, as isexemplified, for instance, in the United States Patent No. 745,572,granted to me December 1, 1903.

In the operation of the apparatus the perforated web passes over thedrum A at the "rea /7'7 same surface speed as the latter, the drum,

which is interchangeable, according to size of work being printed, beingin circumference equal to the distance between the perforations in theweb. 1f the feeding of the paper through the printing-machine be regularand uniform, so as to maintain the second printing in register with thefirst printing, the perforations in the web will in succession pass overasolid portion of the drums periphery between the two rows of ports aand a; but if the web be fed out of register and be faster than thenormal rate the perforations in the web, or one of them, will come overone of the ports (1 whereupon compressed air will be allowed to passfrom the air-tube D into said port and will force out a correspondingplunger 6, whereby the ratchet-wheel F and its shaft F will be operatedand transmit movement to the worm-wheel L and train of register-gearingin a direction to retard the rate of feed of the web. If, on the otherhand, the web be fed at a slower rate than the normal, the perforationsin the web will come over one of the ports 11/ in the drum A and thecorresponding one of the plungers a will be protruded, whereby theaction of the ratchet-wheel and transmitting-gear will be in the reversedirection and will act on the registering-gear to accelerate the rate offeed of the web.

The supply of compressed air to the tube D may be obtained from anyother available source instead of from a conipression-pump operated asdescribed from the drunrshaft.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States, is

1. Register gear for printing -machines comprising in combinationweb-feed rollers carrying a perforated web, a plurality of airports,means directing compressed air through the perforation of said web intoany one of said ports, reciprocating plungers operated by saidcompressed air passing through said ports, releasing mechanism operatedby said plungers and means serving to accelerate and retard said rolls,said means being operated from a suitable source of power and beingstarted and stopped by said releasing mechanism.

2. Register-gear for printingmachines comprising in combination, arotating drum provided with air-ports, cylinders in which said portsterminate, movable plungers in said cylinders, web-feed rolls carrying aperforated paper web, means for directing air through perforations insaid web to said air-ports to protrude a corresponding plunger, lever devices acted on by said plungers, a ratchet or like wheel fed forward orbackward, and mechanism for accelerating or retarding said rolls saidmechanism being operated by said ratchet-wheel.

8. Register-gear for printingmachines comprising in combination arotating drum,

IIO

a series of plunger-s actuated by pneumatic power, said power beingadmitted to said drum by a perforated paper web passing over the same,devices acted on by any one of said plungers, and gearing operatedthereby and serving to accelerate and retard the feed-rolls of theprinting-machine.

4:. Register gear for printingmachines comprising in combination arotating drum, plungers or like devices actuated by pneumatic power,said power being admitted to said rotating drum by a printed andperforated web, levers operated by a selected plunger, a ratchet-wheel,a lever provided with pawls which serve to rotate said ratchet duringthe forward and backward stroke of said pawl-lever, a guard for saidratchet-wheel serving to cover the same and prevent engagement therewithby said pawls said guard being operated by aselected plunger, andpowertransmitting gear communicating movement of said ratchet-wheel tosaid rolls.

5. Register-gear for printing-machines comprising in combination, arotating drum formed with air-ports over which drum may be led aperforated paper web, cylinders in which said ports terminate, movableplungers in said cylinders, web-feed rolls, means for directing airthrough the perforations in the paper web to said air-ports to protrudea corresponding plunger, lever devices-acted on by the plunger, aratchet-wheel fed forward or backward thereby, and accelerating andretarding gear for the web-feed rolls, actuated by said ratchet-wheel.

(3. Registergear for printingmachines comprising in combination arotating drum, a series of plungers actuated pneumatically, rolls forfeedinga perforated paper Web over said drum, means for directing airthrough said perforated web, devices acted on by any one of saidplungers, and gearing operated thereby to accelerate or retard thefeed-rolls of the printing-machine.

7. Register gear for printing machines comprising in combination arotating drum over which a perforated paper web may be passed, plungersor like devices actuated pneumatically, web-feed rolls, levers operatedby a selected plunger, a ratchet-wheel, a guard therefor connected withsaid levers and operated by the protruding of a selected plunger, alever carrying pawls which serve to rotate said ratchet-wheel during theforward or backward stroke of said pawl-lever, and powertransmittinggear for communicating corresponding movement to the accelerating and.-retarding gear.

8. Register gear for printing machines, comprising in combination, arotating drum formed with air-ports, cylinders in which said portsterminate, plungers movable in said cylinders, rolls for feeding aperforated paper Web over said drum, gear for accelerating and retardingsaid feeding-rolls, means for directing air through perforations in theweb to said air-ports, a ratchet-wheel, a swinging lever carrying pawls,means normally covering the ratchet-teeth but uncovering the teeth underthe action of said plungers to enable said pawls to engage said teethand to move said ratchetwheel, and transmitting-gear communicatingcorresponding movement to the accelerating and retarding gear.

9. Register -gear for printingmachines comprising in combination arotating shaft, a drum provided with air-ports said drum being fast onsaid shaft, a crank on said shaft, a pitman connected to said crank, acylinder and a piston in said cylinder reciprocated by said pitman, atube leading from said cylinder and directing a current of air againstsaid drum, cylinders in which said ports terminate, plun gers movableinsaid cylinders, web-feed rolls, lever devices acted onby a selectedplunger, a ratchet-wheel fed backward or forward thereby, andaccelerating and retarding gear for the web-feed rolls actuated by saidratchet' wheel.

10. Register-gear for printing machines comprising in combination arotating drum formed with two sets of air-ports, cylinders on oppositesides of the axis of the drum in which said ports terminate, movableplunger-s in said cylinders, rolls for feeding a perforated paper webover said drum, a tube for directing air through the perforations insaid web into said air-ports to protrude a corresponding plunger, leverdevices acted on by said plunger, a ratchet-Wheel fed forward orbackward thereby, and accelerating and retarding gear for saidweb-feeding rolls actuated by said ratchet-wheel.

11. Registering-gear for printing-machines comprising in combination arotating drum located below a traveling perforated paper web said drumhaving air-ports, cylinders in which. said ports terminate, movable plungers in said cylinders, rolls for feeding said perforated Web, meansfordirecting air through the perforations in said web to said air-portsto protrude a corresponding plunger, a ratchet-wheel, a lever havingpawls, means for oscillating said lever, a guard normally covering saidratchetwheel, a bell-crank lever in the path of said plungers whenprotruded, a spring serving to move said guard away from saidratchet-wheel when said bell-crank lever is engaged by a plunger topermit one of said pawls to engage said ratchet-whee], means forreturning said guard to its normal position, and gearing actuated bysaid ratchet-wheel and serving to accelerate and retard the web-feedingrolls.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS UOSSAR.

Witnesses:

WALLAoE FAIRWEATHER, JNo. ARMSTRONG, Junr.

